This invention is designed to provide users quick and easy access to a towel for wiping perspiration, collecting spills, cleaning furniture and completing an unlimited number of tasks commonly associated with towel usage. More particularly, a compartment, in the form of a pocket, is positioned on an article of clothing. Said compartment is easily opened to allow a user immediate access to a towel.
Towels have unlimited uses, including use as perspiration removers, spill collectors, cleaning devices, baby wipers, etc., but are routinely unavailable or inconveniently located when needed. For example, towels are ideal for wiping perspiration during a run or other exercise routines. However, a towel is easily misplaced during an exercise regiment requiring an individual to move from one weight machine to another. Similarly, during an outdoor run there is no real convenient place for a towel. Another example, relates to the kitchen and cooking. In may cases, kitchen towels are stored out of sight (e.g. in a drawer or cabinet) to keep the kitchen neat in appearance. Therefore, when one requires a towel to wipe their hands of food items, the individual is required to soil a drawer or cabinet handle by opening the same with their unclean hands. Failure to disinfect the handle, once it is soiled, is both unsanitary and unsightly. Similarly, clean towels are useful for wiping a babies face thereby keeping clean the parents"" clothing or wiping a child""s wound to prevent infection.
While prior art patents have sought to make towels, or towel-like articles, more readily available to a user, none of the patents have utilized the unique compartment described herein.
U.S. Pat. 4,768,236 (the ""236 Patent) to Klob discloses a detachable toweling means. The ""236 Patent describes a toweling means attached to a pair of shorts by means of Velcro(copyright). Unless the toweling means matches the shorts, the combination is going to be unsightly, especially once the toweling means is soiled with perspiration and dirt. Additionally, the VELCRO(copyright) portions fixed to the toweling means can be damaging to one""s face if the attachment side of the toweling means is accidentally used to wipe away perspiration.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,478 (the ""478 patent) to Bisagno, et al., discloses a combination towel and shorts. The ""478 patent suffers from several shortcomings, namely unsightliness and inconvenience. Moreover, a user is required to wear the shorts since the attachment means is located thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,343 (the ""343 patent) to McIntyre describes a towel-like appendage attached to a shirt. According to the specification, the towel-like appendage is preferably attached at one of its end proximate the neck opening on the back of a shirt. As with the ""236 and ""478 patents, the towel-like appendage is unsightly. In addition, the towel-like appendage can interfere with a users activities if said appendage flips over a user""s shoulder to become re-positioned proximate a user""s chest area. Further, the free-swinging appendage will cause many users discomfort.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,901 (the ""901 patent) to Vollrath discloses an athletic shirt-towel assembly. The ""901 patent is directed to a shirt fabricated of non-absorbent synthetic material having an absorbent material incorporated near a neckline of the shirt. Besides being unsightly (i.e. dirt openly deposited on the shirt) the assembly having a towel-like surface in contact with a user""s skin may be uncomfortable to many users.
Applicant""s invention permits a user to quickly and easily access and store a towel for any use. The compartment of the present invention can be placed at any location on any article of clothing, including an apron, shirt, smock, scrubs, etc. Moreover, the compartment may be fabricated of the same material, in the same color, of the article of clothing it is affixed. In a second embodiment, the towel is elastically connected to the article of clothing insuring the towel is immediately placed back into the compartment once it has been used.
An object of the present invention is to provide quick and easy access to a towel.
Another object of the present invention is to avoid the unsightliness of an exposed towel on one""s body.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a compartment for use with any article of clothing.
A further object is to provide any easy access towel physically connected to the compartment to facilitate the immediate return of the towel to the compartment.
Accordingly, a compartment comprises preferably a single rectangular piece of material having a first section fixed to an article of clothing and a second section adjustably attached to said fixed section of material. Preferably, the second section is attached to the fixed section by means of VELCRO(copyright) placed on one or more edges of an outer surface of the fixed section and one or more corresponding edges of an inner surface of the second section thereby forming a pocket for containing a towel.
In practice, the second section acts as a flap along a common fold line with the fixed section. In this manner, the compartment can be fabricated to open in any direction (e.g. from left to right, right to left, top to bottom, bottom to top).
In another embodiment the towel is removably attached to a section of the compartment for insuring the towel is, after use, immediately placed back into the compartment. The attachment prevents the towel from being misplaced by a user prior to returning the towel to its intended location within the compartment.
The positioning of the compartment, as well as the articles of clothing able to utilize the compartment, is unlimited. The positioning may be based on the article of clothing chosen. For example, a small towel for wiping perspiration from one""s brow may be well-positioned on a sleeve of a long-sleeved shirt for easy access during the perspiration-causing activity. However, a compartment for use with an apron may be positioned more aptly near the chest area of the user.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.